Schools magnets for job-related learning

Saturday

Jan 30, 2010 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - The marquee event for Hamilton Elementary's HEAL program came last year in the form of a visiting pathologist bearing formaldehyde-filled jars containing gallbladders, gallstones, toes, fingers, tonsils and a goat's heart.

Roger Phillips

STOCKTON - The marquee event for Hamilton Elementary's HEAL program came last year in the form of a visiting pathologist bearing formaldehyde-filled jars containing gallbladders, gallstones, toes, fingers, tonsils and a goat's heart.

What elementary school student could resist?

"That was very gross," 12-year-old Stephanie Herrera said. "But it was still very fun."

A recent decision by the Stockton Unified School Distinct Board of Trustees ensured there will be many more visiting organs and entrails to look forward to for students attending Hamilton, in southeast Stockton.

The story really began two years ago, when Stockton Unified dedicated a magnet program at Hamilton in honor of Esther Lee Fong, the district's first Chinese-American teacher. The program was intended to prepare elementary students for the International Baccalaureate program at Franklin High School.

But according to Hamilton Principal Gurmel Singh, the program struggled from the start, largely because of difficulty in coordinating schedules so his teachers could have time to collaborate with their counterparts at Franklin. This year, Stockton Unified moved its IB feeder program for sixth- through eighth-graders to the Franklin campus.

Meanwhile, Hamilton also had another special program, participated in by some of its fourth- through eighth-graders, called HEAL, short for Health Education and Leadership. At the Jan. 12 school board meeting, trustees approved expanding HEAL into a full-fledged K-8 magnet program for 2010-11 at Hamilton and named in Fong's honor.

Singh said he hopes the program will steer economically disadvantaged students toward careers in health-related fields. Eighty-eight percent of Hamilton's students and 78 percent of Stockton Unified's are classified as economically disadvantaged.

Singh wants students to understand that even if they can't pursue four-year college degrees leading them to medical school or nursing careers, there are other options in health-related fields that do not require bachelor's degrees.

"The basic aim is to instill in their minds that you can go into health careers without going to a four-year college," Singh said.

Students in Rachael Navarrete's sixth-grade class at Hamilton said regular visits the past three years by speakers such as the Kaiser pathologist have sparked their interest in health-related careers.

"I want to be a nurse," 11-year-old Adilene Rodriguez said.

Her classmate Megan Jimenez added: "I really want to be a vet. I love animals."

Navarrete said she blends health themes into the English and math lessons she teaches. In addition to helping her students imagine careers in health-related fields, she is preparing them for health-oriented programs at several of the district's high schools.

"It really opens their eyes," she said.

If there is one concern for Singh, it was the news this week that the district's administration is proposing to eliminate transportation to magnet schools as it works to slash $28.5 million from its 2010-11 budget. Magnet programs are open to students from the entire district, but elimination of transportation would create a hardship for some students who don't live near the school that offers the magnet program they want to pursue.

"I wish they would keep the magnet transportation," Singh said.

Stockton Unified will hold its elementary school magnet fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Cesar Chavez High School, 2929 Windflower Lane, and Singh will be on hand to answer questions about Hamilton's soon-to-grow program.

Hamilton just might hold the trump card over the other magnet programs: Students have the chance to see well-preserved fingers, toes and gallbladders.